• Melipal Malbec Reserve

  

Country: Argentina

Website: www.bodegamelipal.com

Special Notes: Wine Spectator magazine calls Melipal Winery one of  Argentina’s “10 Wineries on the High Road to Quality”

About

Background: For generations our family has laboured the land in order to obtain its best fruits. We have been truly convinced that honest work does give a satisfaction that goes far beyond any economical achievement.  This concept has been inculcated to our children as well as to all the others who share our challenge. Mendoza used to be just an idea and it was not after many years that the dream could become a reality. Today all our efforts are put into this family project.

We really believe that our perseverance and enthusiasm along with our great passion for doing are essential elements in this history of perfect matching between man, the vineyard, and the terroir, a history where wine is its most remarkable expression.

The Winery: The winery is located in an area surrounded by willow trees, small canals and vineyards and which has a magnificent view of the Andes mountain range. Its architectural design was developed on account of very specific guidelines. The winery project should maximize different requirements already stated for wine making. Also, it should respect the essence of a simple and austere design that could move the observers feelings, without making them have predetermined ideas.

Concerning the technological issues, state-of-the-art considerations for wine making were taken into account. The winery has a 475,000-litre vat capacity, distributed in 5,000-litre to 20,000-litre-stainless steel vats specially designed for storing premium wines. The building also has a reception lounge, a wine tasting room, a wine bar with a terrace that overlooks the mountains, a cellar, and some other areas destined to different uses.

The Terroir and the Wine Style: The Agrelo region, where our winery is located, is at 960 meters above sea level, on the piedmont of the highest area of the Mendoza River.  Its natural arid soils, the radiant sun, the cool nights and the clear water coming down the mountains make the area the perfect place for our varietal wines to develop and meet their natural requirements. These unique characteristics along with the hard work made by our people set the most favourable conditions for the production of excellent wines, with great aromatic concentration, remarkable flavours and an elegant finish.

The Climate: The area is located at the foot of the Andes mountain range. On account of the scarce annual rainfall, vines are watered from streams rushing down the Andes? perpetual snows. The days are often sunny and the nights usually cool.

The Sun: The great sun exposure, especially during the final period of grape ripening, and the cool nights allow an important thermal amplitude close to 15° C. This favours the optimum conditions required for the fruit ripening and the achievement of aromatic substances. The Andes, a natural barrier for the Pacific clouds, the southern breezes and the region dry weather guarantee a high number of sunny and clear days that encourage the processes of photosynthesis and complex aromas.

The Water: Mendoza is a natural desert watered from streams rushing down the Andes? perpetual snows. This is vital on account of the scarce 200mm-annual rainfall.

The Air: The whole area naturally benefits from southern and south-eastern breezes that are especially dominant here. Also, the Zonda, a warm and dry wind from the northeast, sometimes blows. All these environmental conditions are particularly healthy for the vines.

Wine Characteristics:

- Great concentration obtained through hard work in the vineyard.

- Intense fruit rendered by the optimum grape ripening and the detailed vinification process.

- Remarkable flavour imparted by the mineral characteristics of the soil and its permeability.

- Elegant perfume resulting from the marked thermal amplitude in the area.